Current toothbrushes are commonly one of two different types. The first type requires the user to dispense a quantity of toothpaste from a tube or container onto the bristles of the toothbrush. Such an arrangement requires the provision of separate containers and toothbrushes, and the step of charging the toothbrush with toothpaste from the container prior to use, which can be a messy and time-consuming operation.
The second type of toothbrush incorporates its own container of toothpaste, usually in or as the handle of the toothbrush. The container, once empty, can either be refilled or replaced. However, such arrangements suffer from a number of disadvantages, not the least of which is that the overall toothbrush is of relatively complex construction and is therefore expensive to manufacture, operation of the toothbrush usually requiring the actuation and/or manipulation of several different elements within the system.
For example it is known to provide a toothbrush provided with a head having one or more openings therein feeding to the bristles, and a flow control mechanism for the toothpaste including a slide member movable longitudinally within the brush relative to the head to open and close the or each opening whereby paste from a container connected to the head can be pumped from the container through the or each opening, when open, onto the bristles.
However, the provision of the slide member within the neck and head of the toothbrush imposes severe restrictions on the configuration of the toothbrush, and in particular prevents the provision of an angled, flexible neck as is currently considered desirable for optimum handling purposes. Furthermore, the presence of the slide member necessitates the neck and head of the toothbrush being of a thickness greater than would otherwise be desirable.
Furthermore, the openings in the head through which the paste flows to the bristles tend to retain paste therein even after use, and/or are such as to cause water ingress to the head of the toothbrush. Such water ingress can result in bacterial growth within the toothbrush resulting in an unhygienic product.